U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 1,328 people described as illegal alien offenders across Virginia and Maryland between Aug. 1 and Aug. 14. The agency announced the arrests Aug. 26 as part of Operation Safe Community-Washington, D.C.
The operation targeted the National Capital Region and surrounding jurisdictions, making it among the largest regional ICE enforcement surges publicly reported this year, according to ICE.
Crimes among those arrested included sex offenses, aggravated assault, drug crimes, and weapons violations, ICE said. The agency described the individuals detained as having prior criminal records or pending criminal charges.
The operation was coordinated across multiple ICE field offices and partner law enforcement agencies. ICE has increasingly emphasized cooperation with local jurisdictions in carrying out interior enforcement operations under the current administration.
The D.C. metropolitan area includes several jurisdictions that have adopted policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, creating political friction over enforcement priorities. The scale of the operation in this region underscores the administration’s willingness to conduct large-scale enforcement in areas with varying levels of local cooperation.
The 1,328 arrests over a two-week period reflect a pace and concentration of enforcement activity that exceeds typical ICE operational tempo for a single metropolitan area. The agency has conducted similar named operations in other major metro areas this year as part of its broader interior enforcement strategy.
ICE did not provide details on how many of those arrested were subsequently placed in removal proceedings or transferred to immigration detention facilities.